


Christmas: a love story in six part(ie)s

by McG



Category: Lewis (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Party, Getting Together, M/M, One Night Stands, mention of Alan Peterson, mention of DI Knox, mention of Fiona McKendrick, mention of Jean Innocent, mention of Julie Lockhart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 13:00:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17121839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/McG/pseuds/McG
Summary: Five times James hated the CID Christmas party, and one time he didn't.





	Christmas: a love story in six part(ie)s

James Hathaway's first year as a Detective Sergeant, he went to the Christmas party because it was the Thing To Do. 

He regretted it rather quickly. He found himself cornered by his DI, the obnoxious Knox, having his ear twisted about how the world was out to get men like them.

All these women officers being recruited, not to mention the ethnic minorities. The hardest thing to do these days, according to Knox, was to get and retain a job as a straight, white man. 

"And this bloody graduate entry scheme," Knox went on, apparently not caring that James himself was one such recruit. "What do you even know about policing? Don't even know you're born, do you? Posh boy like you." 

James stubbed his cigarette out in the ashtray on the small pub table, and made to stand, making a vague excuse about visiting the loo. He didn't offer to buy Knox another drink, nor did he return to their table. 

Instead, he found himself at the other end of the bar, staying out of sight of the corner where he had abandoned DI Knox. He ordered himself another beer, and stayed at the bar to drink it. One more pint, and then he'd probably have been here late enough to show willing and could leave. He lit up another cigarette, and leant back against a pillar at the end of the bar. 

One more pint, and he could escape this social torture and start to wonder what the hell he'd let himself in for. 

\---

The following Christmas, James was scheduled to work on the evening of the official party. He took this as a sign that perhaps God was still watching over him, and worked diligently and quietly. A few days later, while he was making coffee in the break room in the middle of the afternoon, one of his fellow intake, DS Fiona McKendrick, stuck her head around the door and smiled when she saw him. 

"Hathaway, just the man! We're going for drinks after work - if you want to join us? No senior ranks, just the cool kids." she quirked at grin at that, recognising that they were two of the people least likely to be considered cool. 

The pub, when they got there, was crowded and noisy. The crush of people at the bar was enough to persuade James to buy a whisky chaser to go with his pint, and they were lucky to find a corner with a table. There weren't enough seats for everyone, but there was a chair for them to abandon their coats and a table for the empty glasses. 

And if he went home with Fiona at the end of the night, then that might have been a rash decision, but it was a Christmas party. That’s what people did at Christmas parties. Right?

\---

James winced as a shriek of laughter rang out slightly too close to his table. He glumly contemplated the bottom of his empty glass, unsure whether he should buy another drink or not. Robbie was off in the far corner, caught chatting to some of his colleagues from his sergeant days. A good looking woman was apparently enthralled by Robbie's conversation. She was leaning into his personal space, and repeatedly touching his arm. 

Across the room, James' gut twisted unpleasantly. The jealousy flared hot, and he hated himself for a moment, pining for his boss like a 1950s stereotype of a secretary. 

Decision made, he donned his coat and slipped out of the pub and into the evening drizzle. He stepped far enough away from the door and lit a cigarette, resting back against the wall while he smoked. 

He was almost to the end of the cigarette and starting to contemplate whether he could leave the party yet, when he noticed Robbie walking towards him. 

"Hiding outside again?" Robbie asked. 

"We can't all be social butterflies," James retorted, not meeting Robbie's eye. 

"It doesn't hurt to play nice with others every once in a while," Robbie defended. 

"Some people want to play more than others of course," James snapped. 

Robbie frowned at him, unsure what to make of this unexpected surly mood on his sergeant. 

"You've made a friend, Sir." James expanded. "That nice lady would like you to make her Christmas I'm sure,"

"Jealous, sergeant?" Robbie asked. 

The joke caught James unawares. He was momentarily speechless; too slow to react, too slow to hide the look on his face. 

Robbie was taken aback. James quickly marshalled his features back into their usual stoic expression, but Robbie knew what he'd seen in that moment. Plain as day. It was a wonder he'd not realised before. 

He stood there unmoving for a moment, and when he finally got up the courage to speak, his voice caught slightly, a rough note causing him to rasp. 

"Want to get out of here?" he asked. 

James swallowed, his eyes searching Robbie's face, looking for some misunderstanding, for evidence that he'd got this wrong. 

But it was only a moment, and then he was dropping the fag end onto the wet ground and striding away towards the main road and the nearest taxi rank. As soon as they were reasonably out of sight of the pub, he reached out a hand to clasp Robbie's, turning every few strides to glance down, looking for some sign of doubt on his boss's face. 

And if when Robbie woke up the next morning to find the other half of his bed empty and cold, well that was just how christmas parties went sometimes. The important thing, James felt, was to act like the consummate professional and never mention it again. 

\---

After last year's ill-advised one night stand, James was increasingly anxious as the Christmas party drew near. Innocent was on the warpath with regards to Showing Team Spirit, and there was no way he'd be able to get out of going. Last year, and all that had happened, were constantly on his mind. 

Robbie was in no better state. But neither of them were bold enough to broach the topic of the elephant in the room. 

So if perhaps James went a little too hard on the rum and coke when they got there, then really it was only to be expected. 

When one of the civilian aides materialised with a newly purchased box of cornflakes, and proceeded to outline the rules of a game, James was drunk enough to decide to join in. If Innocent wanted team building for Christmas, then he would deliver. 

Luckily, semi-regular rowing required a certain degree of flexibility, so he did quite well in the game that involved bending to pick up the box using only his mouth. 

On the other side of the pub function room, Robbie watched covertly from the bar. He was feeling wretched after last year's fiasco. He'd convinced himself that James wasn't interested; that it was a mistake, best forgotten. But as this Christmas had drawn closer and closer, James had become increasingly withdrawn. 

Now, watching his normally reticent sergeant playing a rambunctious party game, he felt the ache of longing in his chest. James, self confessed non-joiner of things, behaving so out of character? Well, it was the James Hathaway equivalent of having a flashing beacon over his head blaring _I'm not okay!_

When James was knocked out of the game in one of the final rounds, he took the sympathetic applause with good grace and excused himself for a smoke. Robbie slipped out quietly after him, strolling up to where James was leaning against the wall at the edge of the car park. 

"This is stupid," Robbie offered as an opening gambit. 

James studied him for a moment, taking another thoughtful drag on this cigarette. He didn't pretend to misunderstand Robbie's meaning. 

"I thought we weren't talking about it." 

"That hasn't been working out so well for us, has it?" 

James raised an eyebrow and half nodded in agreement. He continued to smoke steadily, not quite meeting Robbie's eye. 

"Why did you leave?" Robbie asked. 

James shrugged. "Despite what you might think, I'm not actually a masochist. I didn't need an awkward morning after." 

"Would it have been awkward?" 

James fixed him with an incredulous look, but it seemed to have cracked part of his emotional walls. "Having you be painfully polite and charming and trying to let me down gently, while I was dying of a hangover and kicking myself for having been so stupid? No, I'm sure that wouldn't have been awkward at all." he bit out, sarcastically. 

"You're assuming I regretted it." Robbie told him calmly. James looked slightly taken aback. 

"Of course," he said.

Robbie glanced back over towards the door of the pub, checking that the conversation was still private. He stepped closer to James. 

"I didn't regret spending the night with you." he said, quietly but insistently. "I hated waking up without you. I thought you had regretted going to bed with a sad old man like me." he admitted.

He was asking James to be emotionally vulnerable, so it was only fair to lay his own heart on the line first. 

"I didn't regret it." Robbie repeated. He stepped closer again, now almost toe to toe with James. Ball firmly passed to the other court, so to speak. 

James took one final, shaky drag on his cigarette, then dropped the butt onto the damp concrete. He reached out hesitantly to rest a hand on Robbie's shoulder. Looking from eye to eye, trying to detect any sign that he'd got this wrong. He leaned in slowly, kissing Robbie as if he didn't believe he was allowed. 

Robbie brought his hands up to rest on James' waist, and glanced again at the doorway of the pub then back, kissing James in return. 

"Want to get out of here?" Robbie asked. "Maybe somewhere a bit quieter?"

"I'd like that." James answered, his voice hoarse. He took in a deep breath through his nose. "I'd like that a lot." 

"We don't have to. I mean, I'm your boss. So this has to be your decision." Robbie added, leaning in for another kiss. "I won't think any less of you if you say no. I know I'm hardly a prime catch."

"Sir," James sounded absolutely wrecked, "this is absolutely what I want." he pressed another urgent kiss to Robbie's mouth then looked around, checking the coast was clear. "C'mon. My place is closer." 

This time, when Robbie woke up the following morning, James was still curled next to him in the bed, fast asleep. Robbie smiled to himself then leant over to kiss the top of James' head. It was still early, he mused, he could make coffee for them both and bring it back to bed.

\---

James ducked his head against the wind and lit another cigarette. A burst of laughter spilled out as the pub door opened and closed, and he looked up as Robbie came crunching across the snow towards him. 

"Hiding outside again?" Robbie asked, his chin tucked down into the top of his coat, his gloved hands firmly wedged in his pockets. 

James took the time to blow out a long stream of smoke, angling it downwind and away from Robbie's face. 

"You're the expert on hiding." James snapped in return. 

The continued secrecy of their relationship was an ongoing source of stress. It weighed heavily on both men, despite the many obvious and sensible reasons for keeping it under wraps. Robbie's face fell and he recoiled as if hit with a physical blow. James was gabbling an apology as soon as he'd realised what he'd said. 

"Sorry, I'm sorry." he stepped closer to Robbie, reaching for him but letting his hand fall, and following the movement through to lean away again, as the door to the pub opened and a gaggle of people emerged. More smokers lighting up. The quiet, private moment interrupted, James sighed. He neatly and gently stubbed out the cigarette against the wall of the pub, careful not to cause any damage, and slotted the rest of it back into the pack to smoke later. 

"C'mon," he murmured quietly, "it's my round." 

He let Robbie go through the door first, allowing his hand to linger in the small of Robbie's back. A point of contact sorely needed by them both. 

\---

James hesitated outside the pub door, the loud music and flashing disco lights obvious even from outside the pub. 

"Once more into the breach?" Robbie suggested, halting next to him. 

"I hate parties." James muttered. "How soon can we leave?"

Robbie snorted a laugh in response. "I think we need to at least show our faces. Anyway," he added, face dropping into a more serious expression, "I still think we should probably make sure we're not seen leaving together this year." 

James pulled a face. 

"Yeah, I know," Robbie told him, seeing his expression. It was an ongoing issue, though one that they were keen to resolve, with Robbie preparing to put in for retirement so that James could step up into an Inspector role in the new year. 

Robbie felt strongly that they needed to keep their personal situation under wraps until it was all done and dusted. James accepted this logic, and couldn't fault the argument at all. But they both knew that James particularly disliked it. 

The concept of a permanent, secure relationship was still a new idea to James. He struggled to accept that it was real, despite Robbie's assurances. He knew that Robbie loved him as much as he loved Robbie. But that remaining note of secrecy, having to keep it so hush-hush because of their work situation… it chafed. 

Robbie brushed his fingers over James' back briefly. James took a deep breath and pushed the door of the pub open. He winced at the wall of sound and made a beeline for the bar, having to shout over the music to order their drinks. 

Several pints later, Robbie had braved his way through the crowded pub to the gents, and was waylaid on the way back by yet another nosy parker, questioning whether there was any truth in the rumours that he was looking into his retirement options. 

The music from the festive disco hadn't improved at all, nor had the volume lowered. But this late in the evening, Robbie found himself yelling to be heard over some ridiculous love ballad, rather than a high tempo pop song. He caught sight of James, still perched at the bar on the far side of the pub. His blond head bowed over an almost-empty pint glass; looking lonely and lovely in the crowded pub. 

Robbie's heart went out to him. Tall and awkward, and never quite comfortable in his own skin, James deserved to be able to relax. Ok, so he might never be much of an extrovert, but Robbie hated to be the cause of any reticence or hesitancy. 

He extracted himself from the interrogation and made his way back to James. 

"C'mon, let's get out of here," Robbie offered, laying a hand over James' on the bar, and interlacing their fingers. 

James stared down at their joined hands, then back up into Robbie's face. 

"But, you said…" he trailed off, unsure what to make of this sudden public show of affection. 

Robbie picked up James' hand and pressed a kiss to the back of it. 

"I'm sick of hiding," Robbie told him, having to lean in close to be heard over the music. "It's halfway round the nick that I'm retiring next year anyway. One secret down, why bother with another?" 

James blinked. "You're sure?" he asked. His heart was thudding in his chest, emotion making him feel suddenly lightheaded. 

"Aye. Sod the lot of them." Robbie told him, unable to stop grinning now that he'd made this bold move. 

James glanced around the pub, despite how crowded it was, no one seemed to be paying them any attention. He grinned in response to Robbie, and leant in, kissing him then and there, in front of God, and half of Thames Valley CID, and everyone. 

He pulled back and glanced around again. The crowd around them seemed largely unchanged, with one or two notable exceptions. Julie Lockhart was standing nearby, ostensibly chatting to one of her friends, but her eyes kept flicking over to them, and she was struggling to hide a grin. 

Across the room, Jean Innocent was outright staring at them. Jaw dropped in shock, and clutching the arm of Alan Peterson, he too looking somewhat taken aback. 

James grinned wide and bright, and waved at them across the crowd. 

"Come on then, sir." James said, with final quick kiss as he stepped off the bar stool and snagged his coat. 

"Home, James," Robbie confirmed, and made a beeline for the door, their hands still linked.

**Author's Note:**

> The smoking ban in England and Wales came in during the summer of 2007. Hence James is smoking inside the pub in the first year, and outside thereafter. (Based on a loose estimate of the canon timeline).
> 
> The party game involving a cereal box game is a fun one. You have to pick up a cereal box from the floor using only your mouth. You can't touch the floor with anything other than your feet. Each round, part of the box gets torn off to make it shorter. It's fun, and I highly recommend it.


End file.
